Remote control unit for an objective and for a camera

ABSTRACT

A remote control unit for an objective and a camera comprises a base part, an operating element movable relative to the base part, an evaluation and control unit for generating a control signal in accordance with the position of the operating element and an output device for outputting the control signal to an associated camera. The evaluation and control device is adapted to control a feedback device of the control unit in dependence on the position of the operating element to generate at least one feedback signal perceivable by a user.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of German Patent Application DE 10 2012215 861.8 filed Sep. 6, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a remote control unit for an objective and fora camera. The remote control unit comprises at least one base part, anoperating element movable relative to the base part, an evaluation andcontrol unit for generating a control signal in accordance with theposition of the operating element and an output device for outputtingthe control signal to an associated camera.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Such a control unit in a conventional or electronic motion picturecamera (movie camera) allows a remote control of, for example, a focussetting device of the camera by an assistant cameraman. The evaluationand control device of the remote control unit generates a control signalin accordance with the position of the operating element and transmitsthis control signal via the output device (in a wireless or wiredmanner) to the focus setting device of the camera. The focus settingdevice in this respect has a motor unit which rotates an objective ringin accordance with the control signal transmitted by the remote controlunit and hereby changes a focus setting.

A remote control unit of said kind is described in WO 2010/046237 A1incorporated herein by reference. This remote control unit furthermorehas a display device integrated into the base part for displaying afocus scale and further symbols and also a laterally arranged operatingelement (hand wheel) for setting the focus (image sharpness). The remotecontrol unit provides the possibility of presetting specific desiredfocus values which correspond to measured distances in the motif.

The remote control unit is typically operated by the assistancecameraman during a film recording with the camera, with the assistantcameraman carrying out the required remote-controlled settings at thecamera objective in accordance with a control routine which was laiddown by the cameraman or in agreement with the cameraman before the filmrecording. The parameters defining the desired control routine (e.g.starting value and/or end value) are marked as presettings at or in theremote control unit, with these presettings being able to be input andsaved electronically or also only being able to be applied as markingsapplied by hand.

To maintain the previously defined control routine as exactly aspossible during the film recording, the assistant cameraman mustpermanently keep an eye on the film scene being played out in front ofhim. At the same time, however, he must monitor the position of theoperating element of the remote control unit, in particular relative toa respective presetting, which should take place where possible withoutany disturbing distraction from the film scene and without anyimpairment of the film recording. The monitoring of the position mustadditionally also be reliably possible under unfavorable lightconditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to further improve a remote controlunit of said kind for an objective and for a camera, in particular withrespect to the possibility of a monitoring of the position of theoperating element of the remote control unit which neither disturbs thefilm recording nor distracts from the film scene to be recorded.

According to the invention the remote control unit comprises a feedbackdevice, wherein the evaluation and control device is adapted to controlthe feedback device in dependence on the position of the operatingelement for generating at least one feedback signal which can beperceived by a user of the remote control unit and which can inparticular be an optical feedback signal or a haptic feedback signal.

The remote control unit in accordance with the invention thus has afeedback device which is adapted to generate feedback signals which canbe perceived in a sensory manner by the user holding the remote controlunit. Said feedback signals can, for example, be optical signals (suchas intensity changes or color changes) or haptic signals (such asmechanical vibrations) such as will be explained in more detail in thefollowing. Generating a respective signal is to be understood in thisrespect such that the feedback signal is due to the control of thefeedback device and does not only result directly from the position ofthe operating element.

If therefore a preset position is reached due to an actuation of theoperating element relative to the base part or if a specific approachtoward a preset position has taken place, this can be detected by anevaluation and control device and can be displayed (i.e. indicated) tothe user (e.g. the assistant cameraman) in a perceivable manner by meansof the correspondingly generated feedback signal without the user, forexample, constantly having to compare a value scale with an index. Theuser can thus concentrate on the film scene to be recorded withoutconstantly having to look at the remote control unit since therespective feedback signal can be perceived haptically, for examplecompletely without any change of gaze, or can be recognized in theperipheral visual field or since only a brief glance is sufficient forthe signal recognition. The respective signal can in particular be sodiscreet that neither the acoustic nor the visual portion of the filmrecording is impaired by the signal.

Apart from the feedback device, the remote control unit can beconfigured as described in WO 2010/046237 A1. The operating system canin particular be rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to thebase part and said position of the operating system can then be a rotaryposition of the operating element. The operating element can, forexample, be a hand wheel. It is alternatively possible that theoperating element is movable in translation relative to the base part.The operating element can in particular be displaceable along a path,with said position of the operating element then being able to be aslide position of the operating element. The path along which theoperating element is displaceable does not necessarily have to bestraight. It is, however, preferably an at least substantially straightpath. In this case, the movement of the operating element is therefore astraight-line movement such as can be the case, for instance, with aslider for an aperture setting device.

The feedback signal perceivable by the user is preferably a signal onlychangeable in discrete stages. It can in particular be a binary signal,i.e. in this embodiment the feedback signal can only adopt two differentstates. Provision can, for example, be made that the feedback signals isonly generated at all on a reaching of a preset position of theoperating element and the feedback signal is otherwise not generated oris not generated in a perceivable manner. A feedback signal onlychangeable in discrete steps generally has the advantage with respect toa continuously changeable signal that the user can perceive a change inthe feedback signal much more clearly, in particular if he does notdirectly observe the remote control unit and specifically its feedbackdevice.

In accordance with an advantageous embodiment, the evaluation andcontrol unit is adapted to control the feedback device in dependence onthe position of the operating element to generate different feedbacksignals. The feedback signals can, for example, differ with respect totheir duration (e.g. short/long), their intensity (e.g. strong/weak orbright/pale), their frequency (e.g. vibration frequency or color) and/ortheir number and time sequence (e.g. specific pulse sequences).Different states can thus be signaled to the user by use of differentfeedback signals, for example, on the one hand, the approach to a presetdesired focus value (being less than a specific distance from the presetdesired focus value) and, on the other hand, the actual reaching of thepreset desired focus value (after a continued movement of the operatingelement).

The evaluation and control device can in particular be adapted tocontrol the feedback device to generate a first feedback signal on areaching of a predetermined first position of the operating element(which can be set by the user). On a reaching of at least onepredetermined second position of the operating element (which canlikewise be set by the user) and/or on a reaching of at least onepredetermined difference of the position of the operating elementrelative to the predetermined first position (which difference can beset by the user), the evaluation and control device controls thefeedback device to generate a second feedback signal which differs fromthe first feedback signal. In addition to a desired focus value, forexample, one or more limit values (limits) can thus be set for thispurpose, with the reaching of the limit or limits being signaled, forexample, by a single or multiple short feedback signal and the reachingof the desired focus value being signaled by a long or continuousfeedback signal. Said positional difference can, for example, be anangle of rotation spacing or a displacement spacing depending on thetype of movement of the operating element.

It is further preferred if the evaluation and control device is adaptedto control the feedback device over a range of different positions ofthe operating element to generate a feedback signal. In this manner, notonly preset individual values of the position (e.g. in accordance withdifferent focus values), but whole value ranges can be signaled at anypoint in time at which the position of the operating element correspondsto this range (e.g. by varying an illumination color). In this respect,the feedback signal can be continuously dependent on the position of theoperating element within said range and can vary, for example, withrespect to its intensity or frequency (e.g. frequency of a mechanicalvibration, color).

It is particularly advantageous if the feedback device comprises avibration device which can be controlled to generate a vibration signalfeelable by the user of the remote control unit. The vibration signalthus forms said feedback signal. A vibration in connection with theinvention is designated as a single to and for movement or as aplurality of consecutive to and fro movements (i.e. mechanicaloscillations) of one part relative to another part of the remote controlunit. Vibrations are particularly well-suited as signals in anenvironment in which visual and acoustic signals would representdisturbances. In addition, the perceptibility of vibrations is as a rulelimited to that person who has direct contact with the vibrations.

If, for example due to an actuation of the operating element, a presetdesired focus value is reached or a specific approach to a presetdesired focus value has taken place, this can advantageously only beindicated to the user (e.g. assistant cameraman) in a perceivable mannerby means of the generated vibrations without the film recording beingdisturbed by visual or acoustic signals. The vibration device requiredfor this purpose is an inexpensive component part such as is widely usedfor mobile phones. The vibration device can in particular be formed byan electric motor having an imbalance driven thereby (so-calledvibration motor). A piezo drive is also possible, for example.

In accordance with an advantageous embodiment, the vibration device isarranged at an outer side of the base part or of the operating element.The vibration signal generated by the vibration device is herebyparticularly easily feelable by the user, whereas the strength of thevibrations can nevertheless be set so small that the vibrations are notacoustically perceptible and also do not impair the actuation of theoperating element. If the vibration device is arranged at an outer sideof the base part, the user substantially feels the vibration signal atthat hand with which he is holding the base part tight so that the otherhand actuating the operating element is advantageously not disturbedwith respect to its actuation. It can alternatively be advantageous ifthe vibration device is arranged at an outer side of the operatingelement since in this case the hand actuating the operating elementparticularly directly experiences a feedback relating to the adjustmentmovement carried out by it.

Optionally, the vibration device can substantially be decoupled from thebase part and/or the operating element with respect to structure-bornesound. For example, a damping device or a cushioning/damping device canbe provided between the vibration device and the base part and/or theoperating element.

Alternatively or additionally to said vibration device, the feedbackdevice can comprise an illumination device which can be controlled togenerate an illumination signal visible to a user. The illuminationsignal in this respect corresponds to said feedback signal and cangenerally comprise all kinds of directly or indirectly transmittedlight. The illumination signal can in particular be characterized by itsintensity, color, duration, number and sequence and/or by a change tothese features. In this manner, the illumination signal and thecorresponding information on the position of the operating element canbe perceived fast and reliably by a brief glance or by peripheralvision. Features or feature changes of the illumination signal can inparticular thereupon be selected as optimized as to how well they can beperceived in the peripheral visual field. The illumination device canhave a light source which, for example, comprises one or more lightemitting diodes (LEDs) which are in particular of different colors orcan be color modulated. Furthermore, the illumination device can e.g. bearranged at an outer side of or within the base part or the operatingelement of the remote control unit.

The illumination device can in particular be adapted to illuminate theremote control, unit at least partly in accordance with a baseillumination characteristic, wherein the illumination signal can have anillumination characteristic different from the base illuminationcharacteristic, for example a different color. If e.g. a preset desiredfocus value is reached or if a specific approach toward a preset desiredfocus value has taken place, the color of the illumination can change,for instance from white to green, or the intensity of the illuminationcan change, for instance by a (single or multiple) brief extinguishingor lighting up. The illumination signal can be unambiguouslydistinguished from the base illumination characteristic by such a changein the illumination characteristic. A plurality of differentillumination characteristics allow the distinction of different presetdesired setting values so that, for example, the reaching of a limit canbe signaled by an illumination signal of a different color than thereaching of a preset desired setting value.

The illumination device can generally serve for the general illuminationof the remote control unit, in particular for the illumination of theoperating element and/or of a display device of the remote control unit.This general illumination can then have a base illuminationcharacteristic, for example with respect to its intensity and color,from which the illumination characteristic of the illumination deviceadvantageously differs.

The remote control unit can generally have a display device fordisplaying at least one symbol (e.g. scale, index, number, arrow) whoseposition or value corresponds to the position of the operating elementor to a desired position of the operating element. The display device(e.g. scale bar, scale cylinder, marking disk which can be written byhand) can generally be provided at the base part or at the operatingelement. Said illumination device can partly or fully illuminate such adisplay device. The illumination device can in particular be part ofsuch a display device.

With such an embodiment having an illumination device and a displaydevice, the illumination device can generate background lighting for thedisplay device.

Alternatively or additionally, the remote control unit in such anembodiment can have a masking device which has at least one transparentor partly transparent section and a light-impermeable section in order,respectively, to transmit or screen (i.e. mask) the illumination of thedisplay device (e.g. illumination signal and/or background lighting)generated by the illumination device for different emission directionsof the illumination or for different regions of the display device. Thelight emission can hereby be limited to a narrow angular region which issufficient for the user of the remote control unit and does not,however, signify any disturbance for the environment (e.g. recorded filmscene). This in particular applies to display devices which are notdesigned as planar, but as cylindrical, for example. A continuousprogression of the degree of transparency is preferably provided betweenthe respective transparent or partly transparent section and therespective light-impermeable section of the masking device, to avoidabrupt transitions. The user thus perceives the movement of, forexample, a specific scale value in the visible part of the displaydevice as a gradual appearance.

It is generally preferred if the feedback device generates said feedbacksignal without in this respect counteracting a movement of the operatingelement relative to the base part (e.g. by an abrupt or gradual movementresistance). The sensory feedback to the user thus takes place withoutimpairment of the actuation of the operating element so that aparticularly exact control is possible. This is, for example, ensuredwhen the feedback device comprises a vibration device or an illuminationdevice.

Alternatively to this, the feedback device can, however, comprise alatch lock generating device which can be controlled for the selectivegeneration of a latch lock of the operating element with the base partfeelable by a user. Such a latch lock is to be understood as a movementresistance which has to be briefly overcome to continue the actuation ofthe operating element. Such a latch lock can be selectively generated,for example, by an electromagnetic coupling of the operating elementwith the base part.

In all of the aforesaid embodiments, a display device of the remotecontrol unit (in particular the already named display device) can beconfigured as an electronic display device for electronicallyrepresenting at least one symbol, wherein the evaluation and controldevice is adapted to vary the position or the value of the representedsymbol in dependence on a change in the position of the operatingelement and to control the feedback device to generate the feedbacksignal when the position of the operating element corresponds to apredefined position of the represented symbol on the electronic displaydevice or to a predefined value of the represented symbol. Saidelectronic display device can be configured as flat and rectangular (asin WO 2010/046237 A1) or as round, for example cylindrical. Therepresented symbol can in particular comprise a scale (e.g. a focusscale), a number (e.g. instantaneously set focus value, desired focusvalue) and/or at least one mark (e.g. arrow mark for a preset desiredfocus value).

The position or the value of a symbol which is applied to a displaydevice by hand or which is represented electronically at a displacedevice can generally define a setting value (e.g. instantaneously setfocus value), wherein the control signal for the camera generated by theevaluation and control device includes the setting value. It ispreferred if an index associated with the display device is provided atthe base part or if the electronic display device is adapted torepresent an index. In both cases, the relative position of thedisplayed or electronically represented symbol with respect to the indexcan define said setting value. Furthermore, the relative position of thedisplayed or electronically represented symbol with respect to the indexcan correspond to said criterion for the control of the feedback deviceto generate the feedback signal.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the remote controlunit can have a position encoder connected to the evaluation and controldevice for detecting the position of the operating element relative tothe base part. It is in this respect preferably an absolute valueposition encoder, in the exemplary case of an operating elementrotatable about an axis of rotation, for instance, an absolute valuerotary encoder. This means that an unambiguous position signal isassociated with each position of the operating element relative to thebase part without a separate calibration being required after everyswitching on of the remote control unit. It is moreover preferred if theoperating element is freely movable relative to the base part within theprovided actuation range, i.e. without restoring forces which act on theoperating element in the direction of a zero position.

Said output device of the remote control unit can comprise any desiredinterface for outputting the generated control signal to the camera. Theremote control unit can generally be configured for a wired or wirelesstransmission of said control signal to a reception device of the camera(e.g. focus setting device).

The control signal generated by the remote control unit can comprise afocus control signal for controlling a focus setting device and/or anaperture control signal for controlling an aperture setting deviceand/or a focal length control signal for controlling a focal lengthsetting device (zoom apparatus) of a motion picture camera.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in the following by way of example withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a first embodiment of a remote control unit;

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of aremote control unit;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the embodiment of the remote controlunit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the embodiment of a remote control unitshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a further embodiment of a remote controlunit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a remote control unit 10 having a basepart 12 which has a grip part 14. A cylindrical electronic displaydevice 16 and adjacent thereto a cylindrical operating element 18 arearranged laterally at the grip part 14. The operating element 18 isrotatable about an axis of rotation D relative to the base part 12. Abutton 20 shown dashed can be provided as an input device at en endsurface of the operating element 18. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) 22 forilluminating the electronic display device 16 can be provided at thebase part 12. The display device 16 can be arranged at the operatingelement 18 (.e. moving with it) or can be fixedly connected to the basepart 12.

The remote control unit 10 additionally has an evaluation and controldevice 50 provided in the region of the base part 12 (FIGS. 3 to 5; notshown in FIG. 1) which is configured for wireless communication with afocus setting device of a motion picture camera. For this purpose, theevaluation and control device 50 is connected to an output device 54(FIGS. 3 to 5; not shown in FIG. 1) which is formed by a radiotransmission device here. The evaluation and control device 50 isfurthermore connected to a position encoder 52 (FIGS. 3 to 5; not shownin FIG. 1) for detecting an angular position (including an angularposition change) of the operating element 18 relative to the base part12. The evaluation and control device 50 is adapted to generate a focuscontrol signal in dependence on the detected angular position of theoperating element 18 and to transmit it via said radio transmissiondevice to the focus setting device of the camera.

The evaluation and control unit 50 furthermore controls the electronicdisplay device 16 for the electronic representation of a focus scale 24.The focus scale 24 comprises different focus values 30 which arerepresented in the form of lettered and unlettered indices. The focusscale 24 furthermore comprises in the embodiment shown here two focusvalue marks 26, 28 which respectively indicate a preset desired focusvalue to the user. The focus value marks 26, 28 can be programmed in afreely selectable manner by the user with the assistance of the button20 in a configuration mode of the remote control unit 10. The evaluationand control device 50 is adapted to vary the representation of the focusscale 24, including the focus value marks 26, 28, relative to anarrow-shaped index 32 provided at the base part 12 on a rotation of theoperating element 18 relative to the base part 12. The position of thefocus scale 24 relative to the index 32 thus represents theinstantaneously set focus value (corresponding to the focus controlsignal currently transmitted to the camera). The position of therespective focus value mark 26, 28 relative to the index 32 indicatesthe still remaining distance (angle of rotation) between the respectivepreset desired focus value and the instantaneously set focus value tothe user.

A vibration device 42 which serves as a feedback device for the user andwhich extends up to the outer side of the grip part 14 is provided in arecess 40 of the grip part 14. Said evaluation and control device 50 isadapted to control the vibration device 42 in dependence on the detectedrotational position of the operating element 18 relative to the basepart 12 to generate a vibration signal feelable by the user. Theevaluation and control device in particular causes the vibration device42 to generate vibrations when a rotary actuation of the operatingelement 18 has taken place such that one of the two focus value marks26, 28 represented at the electronic display device 16 has reached thelevel of the index 32. The user can thus operate the remote control unit“blindfold” and his attention is nevertheless reliably drawn to thereaching of the respective preset desired focus value without aperceivable disturbance on the environment emanating from the remotecontrol unit 10.

FIG. 2 shows in a schematic longitudinal section an operating element 18of a further embodiment of a remote control unit 10, with only a sectionof a base part 12 of the remote control unit 10 itself being shown. Theoperating element 18 is substantially cylindrical and is at least partlyhollow in its interior. The operating element 18 is rotatably supportedabout an axis of rotation D at the base part 12 via a shaft. Thecylindrical outer side of the operating element 18 comprises a displaysection 44 at which a removable and adjustable cylindrical marking ring46 is arranged. The marking ring 46 is in particular suitable to defineand display preset desired focus values. The display section 44 and themarking ring 46 thus form a display device 16 for displaying set and/ordesired focus values. The marking ring 46 bears a focus value mark 26 byway of example.

At least one light emitting diode 22 is arranged in the interior of theoperating element 18; it is fixedly connected to the base part 12 andits light emission is controlled by an associated evaluation and controldevice 50 (FIGS. 3 to 5; not shown in FIG. 2). The display section 44and the marking ring 46 are partly transparent so that light from thelight emitting diode 22 can exit the operating element 18 through thedisplay section 44 and the marking ring 46 and can be perceived by auser of the remote control unit 10. The light emitting diode 22 thusforms an illumination device which generates background lighting for thedisplay unit 44 and the marking ring 46 in accordance with a baseillumination characteristic. In addition, the light emitting diode 22can be controlled by the evaluation and control device 50 to generate anillumination signal which is dependent on the rotary position of theoperating element 18 and which has an illumination characteristicdiffering from the base illumination characteristic, for example adifferent color or a different brightness. An assistant cameraman canhereby, for example, recognize from the illumination signal transmittedby the light emitting diode 22 the reaching of a desired focus valuewhich corresponds to the focus value mark 26 on the marking ring 46.

If, as in the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2, the respective mark(e.g. focus value mark 26) should not be represented electronically, butshould rather be indicated by a manual application to the marking ring46, said evaluation and control device 50 can be adapted to allow aprogramming of preset rotary positions of the operating element 18, forexample with the assistance of the button 20 already explained inconnection with FIG. 1. The user can therefore teach those rotarypositions of the operating element 18 which correspond to the manuallyapplied marks and whose reaching is intended to trigger the generatingof a feedback signal (e.g. change in an illumination characteristic)before the remote control operation of the evaluation and control device50.

As is furthermore shown in FIG. 2, a mask 48 which has the shape of acylinder jacket and which is fixedly connected to the base part 12 canbe arranged between the light emitting diode 22 and the display unit 44.The mask 48 can also have a different shape. The mask 48 is configuredto transmit illumination signals from the illumination device (lightemitting diode 22) only in specific directions, for instance toward theuser, and to screen them in other directions. The mask 48 hastransparent or at least partly transparent sections as well aslight-impermeable sections for this purpose. Transparent sections can inparticular be formed by cut-outs.

The mask 48 can have a transparency progression at transitions betweentransparent or partly transparent sections and light-impermeablesections in which transparency progression the degree of transparency(i.e. the transmission capability) increases or decreases continuously,for example by different pigment densities in or at the mask 48. Gentletransitions between the directions from which the illumination signalscan be perceived, and the directions from which the illumination signalscannot be perceived can thereby be achieved. Furthermore, the continuoustransitions have the effect that the focus value mark 26 (or a differentsymbol displayed on the display device) is perceived gradually or“disappears” gradually during the rotary movement of the operatingelement 18.

The mask 48 in another respect has the effect that illumination signalsare substantially transmitted only in the direction of the user of theremote control unit 10 and no negative impairment of the film scene ordisturbance of the actors acting therein takes place by the illuminationsignals.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram having the essential components of a remotecontrol unit 10 corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. Anevaluation and control device 50 is connected to a position encoder 52to detect the rotary position of an operating element 18 relative to abase part 12. An illumination device 22 serves for illuminating adisplay device 16. If this is an electronic display device 16, it can,as shown, be arranged at the base part 12 and can be controlled by theevaluation and control apparatus 50 in accordance with the rotaryposition of the operating element 18. Presets can be taught to theevaluation and control device 50 by means of a button 20 in aconfiguration mode in accordance with a mark at the display device 16and/or at the operating element 18. The evaluation and control device 50generates a control signal (e.g. a focus control signal) in accordancewith the rotary position of the operating element 18, which controlsignal is transmitted to an associated movie camera via an output device54 (e.g. a radio transmission device).

In the example shown, three feedback devices are shown which can beprovided alternatively to one another or also accumulatively in anydesired combination. These feedback devices are controlled by theevaluation and control device 50 in dependence on the rotary position ofthe operating element 18 to generate at least one respective feedbacksignal for the user. The feedback devices in accordance with theembodiment in FIG. 3 comprise, on the hand, said illumination device 22for the display device 16 and, on the other hand, a vibration device 42.Finally, a latch lock generation device 56 is also shown which can becontrolled for the selective generation of at least one latch lockfeelable by the user between the operating element 18 and the base part12. Such a latch lock can be selectively generated, for example, bymeans of an electromagnet which cooperates with a permanent magnet.

The respective feedback signal is in particular generated when theoperating element 18 reaches a preset rotational position whichcorresponds to a mark at the display device 16 and/or at the operatingelement 18.

The block diagram shown in FIG. 4 largely coincides with the blockdiagram shown in FIG. 3, with the embodiment shown in FIG. 4corresponding to a remote control unit 10 in accordance with FIG. 2. Inthis embodiment, unlike in FIG. 3, the display device 16 is not arrangedwith the illumination device associated with it at the base part 12, butrather at the operating element 18. The display device 16 in thisrespect does not have to be completely arranged within the operatingelement 18, but can rather also be arranged at least partly from theoutside at the operating element 18. The same applies to theillumination device 22 which is preferably provided, however, as shownin FIG. 2, within the operating element 18 so that it is protected andthe spatial propagation of its light can be simply monitored. Theillumination device 22 and the display device 16 are also connected tothe evaluation and control device 50 in this embodiment. In thisrespect, the connection at the transition from the operating element 18to the base part 12 can be adapted as a sliding contact or in anothermanner to the rotational movability of the operating element 18 withrespect to the base part 12. The illumination device 22 and/or thedisplay device 16 can, however, also be fixedly arranged relative to thebase part 12 (as is shown for the illumination device 22 in FIG. 2) sothat a rigid connection is possible.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a remote control unit10 in which the operating element 18, unlike in the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1 to 4 is designed not as a hand wheel, but rather as a slider.This slider can be displaced by a path which is made here as a straightline, with individual positions along the path corresponding todifferent aperture values. The position encoder 52 associated with theoperating element 18 here is a linear encoder which detects the positionof the slider along said path. The display device 16 and the associatedillumination device 22 are provided adjacent to the slider at the basepart 12. The display device 16 and/or the illumination device 22 can,however, also be provided at the operating element 18 (slider). A latchlock device 56 is not shown in FIG. 5, but can also be provided in thisembodiment, for example as controllable electromagnets which arearranged at the base part 12 and which can cooperate with a permanentmagnet at the operating element 18. The remaining components of theembodiment shown in FIG. 5 correspond to preceding Figures marked by thesame reference numerals.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A remote control unit (10) for an objectiveand for a camera, comprising a base part (12), an operating element (18)movable relative to the base part (12), an evaluation and control device(50) for generating a control signal in accordance with the position ofthe operating element (18), an output device (54) for outputting thecontrol signal to an associated camera, and a user indication through afeedback device in the remote control unit, wherein the evaluation andcontrol device (50) is adapted to control the feedback device togenerate at least one feedback signal only if the position of theoperating element (18) reaches a preset position or one of a pluralityof preset positions, wherein the feedback signal is perceivable by auser of the control unit, and wherein the feedback signal comprises atleast one of a haptic signal and an illumination signal generated by anillumination device (22) adapted to illuminate a part of the remotecontrol unit (10) in accordance with a base illumination characteristic,the illumination signal having an illumination characteristic differingfrom the base illumination characteristic.
 2. A remote control unit (10)in accordance with claim 1, wherein the operating element (18) isrotatable about an axis of rotation (D) relative to the base part (12)and said position of the operating element (18) is a rotary position ofthe operating element (18); or wherein the operating element (18) isdisplaceable along a path relative to the base part (12) and saidposition of the operating element (18) is a slide position of theoperating element (18).
 3. A remote control unit (10) in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the evaluation and control device (50) is adapted tocontrol the feedback device in dependence on the position of theoperating element (18) to generate different feedback signals.
 4. Aremote control unit (10) in accordance with claim 3, wherein theevaluation and control device (50) is adapted to control the feedbackdevice to generate a first feedback signal on a reaching of a predefinedfirst position of the operating element (18) and to control the feedbackdevice to generate a second feedback signal which differs from the firstfeedback signal on a reaching at least one of a predefined secondposition of the operating element (18) and a predefined positionaldifference of the operating element (18) relative to the predefinedfirst position.
 5. A remote control unit (10) in accordance with claim1, wherein the evaluation and control device (50) is adapted to controlthe feedback device over at least a range of different positions of theoperating element (18) relative to the base part (12) to generate the atleast one feedback signal.
 6. A remote control unit (10) in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises a vibration device(42) adapted to generate at least one vibration signal feelable by theuser of the remote control unit.
 7. A remote control unit (10) inaccordance with claim 6, wherein the vibration device (42) is arrangedat an outer side of the base part (12) or at an outer side of theoperating element (18).
 8. A remote control unit (10) in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises an illumination device(22) adapted to generate at least one illumination signal visible to auser of the remote control unit.
 9. A remote control unit (10) inaccordance with claim 8, wherein the illumination device (22) is adaptedto illuminate a part of the remote control unit (10) in accordance witha base illumination characteristic; and wherein the at least oneillumination signal has an illumination characteristic differing fromthe base illumination characteristic, in particular a different color orbrightness.
 10. A remote control unit (10) in accordance with claim 8,wherein the remote control unit (10) has a display device (16) fordisplaying at least one symbol (24, 26, 28) whose position or valuecorresponds to the position of the operating element (18) or to adesired position of the operating element (18), with the illuminationdevice (22) being adapted to illuminate the display device (16) partlyor completely.
 11. A remote control unit (10) in accordance with claim10, wherein the illumination device (22) is adapted to generatebackground lighting for the display device (16).
 12. A remote controlunit (10) in accordance with claim 10, wherein the remote control unit(10) has a masking device (48) which has at least one transparent orpartly transparent section and one light-impermeable section in order totransmit or to screen the illumination of the display device (16)generated by the illumination device (22) for different emissiondirections of the illumination or for different regions of the displaydevice (16).
 13. A remote control unit (10) in accordance with claim 12,wherein the masking device (48) has a continuous progression of a changein the degree of transparency between the transparent or partlytransparent section and the light-impermeable section.
 14. A remotecontrol unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the feedbackdevice is adapted to generate the feedback signal without counteractinga movement of the operating element (18) relative to the base part (12).15. A remote control unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein thefeedback device comprises a latch lock generation device (56) adapted toselectively generate at least one latch lock of the operating element(18) with the base part (12) feelable by a user of the remote controlunit.
 16. A remote control unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, whereinthe remote control unit (10) has an electronic display device (16) forthe electronic representation of at least one symbol (24, 26, 28), withthe evaluation and control device (50) being adapted to vary theposition or the value of the represented symbol (24, 26, 28) independence on a change in the position of the operating element (18),and with the evaluation and control device (50) furthermore beingadapted to control the feedback device (42) to generate the feedbacksignal when the position of the operating element (18) corresponds to apredefined position or a predefined value of the represented symbol (24,26, 28).
 17. A remote control unit (10) in accordance with claim 16,wherein the position or the value of the symbol (24) represented at theelectronic display device (16) defines a setting value; and wherein thecontrol signal for the camera includes the setting value.
 18. A remotecontrol unit (10) in accordance with claim 17, wherein an index (32)associated with the electronic display device (16) is provided at thebase part (12) or the electronic display device (16) is adapted torepresent an index, with the relative position of the represented symbol(24, 26, 28) with respect to the index (32) defining the setting valueand/or corresponding to a criterion for generating the feedback signal.